With national signing day for college football looming, Carson High three-sport standout Asa Carter has three offers currently on the table.
Carter has a walk-on offer from the University of Nevada and partial scholarship offers from Division II schools Southwest Baptist in Missouri and Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D.
Carter was among a group of northern Nevada players who visited Northern State last weekend. Reed quarterback Matt Denn was also on the trip. Northern State is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Carter took in two basketball games on his trip and saw Swisher Field where the Wolves play their home games. Plans are in the works for an on-campus stadium in the near future. Currently. Northern State shares Swisher Field with a local high school.
“It was a great experience,” Carter said before Tuesday’s basketball win over Galena which moved the Senators to 9-0. “I got a chance to meet some of the players and the whole coaching staff.”
Carter has had in-home visits from both schools, but he hasn’t visited Southwest Baptist yet.
“I have not decided anything yet,” Carter said. “I’m looking at all my choices. Northern wants an answer by Feb. 1, so that gives me a little more time.”
Signing day is Feb. 3.
It’s entirely possible Carter won’t take another recruiting trip before national signing day because with Carson basketball involved in a pennant chase, he doesn’t want to miss any more games. He missed the Wooster game last Friday to visit Northern State.
Southwest Baptist is a member of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The school is located in Bolivar, Missouri.
A former area standout, Dayton’s Skyler Berntson, is on the Southwest Baptist roster.
Both Division II schools want Carter, an all-leaguer on both offense and defense and two-time Sierra League Player of the Year, to play wide receiver and not safety. In two seasons at CHS, Carter caught 38 passes for 813 yards and 10 scores. Not bad for a receiver in a run-oriented offense.
“I’d rather play offense,” Carter said. “They are looking at me as both a slot receiver and wide receiver, but primarily a slot receiver. I think I can do both.”
So does Carson football coach Blair Roman.
“I’m not surprised that Asa is being recruited as a wide receiver,” Roman said. “He is so dynamic with the ball in his hands, and I do see him as a wide receiver at the next level although he is good enough to make the switch to defense if they need him there.
“I think Division II is a nice fit for Asa because he’s going to help out and probably play very quickly. No matter who gets him, I have no doubt they are going to have a heck of a player who has kind of flown under the recruiting radar.”
Carter has received some interest from Portland State and Dordt College where his older brother, Paul, is a graduate assistant coach.
“I’m surprised that there has been such little interest from 1-AA schools,” Roman said. “I’ve contacted almost every single one of them in the west. It just goes to show you how many good athletes out there that are also being recruited.”
Carter, who does the long jump and triple jump, said he didn’t talk to track coaches at Northern State over the weekend. He said whichever offer he accepts, he’s going to talk to the track and field coach at that time.
